Establishing Psychometric Properties of the MSU-TCTO Senior High School Entrance Examination Using Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

Abstract

Achievement Testing is widely used in assessing the psychological capabilities of a person. Thus, correct test constructs are important in achieving the purpose of testing. The Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography Senior High School Entrance Exam (SHSEE) is the first MSU-TCTO school-made paper-and-pen achievement test that was conducted on November 18, 2018, to 1,260 students in different schools in Tawi-Tawi and is given annually to prospect senior high school students. It is composed of 75 English, 40 Mathematics, 30 Science, and 25 Aptitude multiple-choice questions. This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties and the level of adequacy of the examination using the Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) models, and any significant difference thereof. The study employed a descriptive quantitative design and used the raw data from the research instrument, which is the scored answer sheet of the 200 examinees. Stratified sampling was applied. Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to determine the reliability indices according to CTT and IRT. The study concluded that the test items of SHSEE were highly adequate and reliable on both CTT and IRT. Furthermore, there is a significant difference between the reliability index under IRT and CTT models at 0.05 level of significance, but not at 0.01, which gave slight inconsistency in the result. The study recommends to the test committee to further enhance the examination and use Item Response Theory as its statistical treatment.